for the defense of the States in which they were to be organized. These men were withdrawn from their militia organizations and placed under Confederate control. The act of Congress is constitutional and is the supreme law of the land.

The Department has no power to dispense with the execution of this law, or to submit its action under it to the final decision of any State tribunal.

The decision of the State courts of Mississippi will be respected in any case within the jurisdiction of the court, and the opinion of the judge will be considerately examined in respect to the cases that are likely to arise, but the Department cannot pledge itself to adopt it as the basiss of its action. Please send to opinion of the court in the case to be submitted.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, No. 306.
Richmond, December 27, 1864.

* * * *

X. The following-named persons (disinterested slave-holders) are hereby appointed, under paragraph VIII, General Orders, No. 86, Adjutant and Inspector General's Office, current series, a board for the appraisement and ascertainment of hire of slaves already impressed under act of February 17, 1864, and now in service with the Army of Northern Virginia without previous appraisement or ascertainment of hire, or who may hereafter be impressed or received without appraisement or special contract: Mr. Turnbull, presiding justice of Dinwiddie County, Va. ; Major E. B. Branch, quartermaster; Captain A. W. Dunn, assistant quartermaster. Surg. O. A. Crenshaw, Provisional Army, C. S., will act with the board and make a careful medical examination of each negro before appraisement. The members of the Board and Surgeon Crenshaw will report to Brigadier Gen. W. H. Stevens, chief engineer Army of Northern Virginia, who will designate the time and place of the assembling of the Board.

By command of the Secretary of War:

JNO. WITHERS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, WAR DEPARTMENT,

Richmond, Va., December 27, 1864.

Hon. W. T. DORTCH,

C. S. Senate:

SIR: I have received your letter of the 19th instant presenting the following inquiry:

Is bonded farmer for one farm required to sell the surplus of other farms he may own at schedule prices, besides the one designated in the bond?

I have the honor to state in reply that no question has been presented for decision in this Department on this point. The third condition of the exemption to agriculturists is:

Such persons shall further bind himself to sell the marketable surplus of provisions and grain in hand, and which he may raise from year to year while his exemption continues, to the Government or the families of soldiers at prices fixed by the commissioners of the State under the impressment act.